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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Many of us, however, came some dis-
tance to attend this dinner. In Boston
some have said that they were too busy
this year to think about attending public
dinners. That may be true in a measure,
but we had, however, time for our dinners
just the same. And when we had them
we had exactly the same success as we
have here to-night. The result has oper-
E. S. CONWAY'S SPEECH.
CONWAY : — Mr. Chairman
and
Friends: About twelve years ago I had to
speak under circumstances not unlike in
one respect those under which I speak here
to-night. I was obliged to take a trip
from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco;
and the weather being very bad, I concluded
to go by stage. Being ushered into an
immense Concord stage which seemed as
large almost as a train, I found myself in
company with eleven school teachers going
over into the valley to attend the meeting
of some educational association; and I was
there, one lone man! I felt myself in-
adequate at that time for the task devolv-
ing upon me. To-night I am in about the
same condition.
We are young out in the West. As I
stated to-day in the meeting of our associ-
ation, we are there among the cactus plants
and the jack rabbits. Everything is in a
primitive state. But we shall be in better
shape later on. This brings to my mind a
little story that they told about my friend
Joe Blackburn who served so long and
honorably as Senator from Kentucky. He
was making a desperate effort for re-elec-
tion. The Republicans had about as many
votes as he had, while the Populists, with
four or five votes, were holding the balance
of power. After several weeks of earnest
labor on the part of Mr. Blackburn and his
MR.
CHANDLER W. SniTH—Boston Association.
ated only for the good of the association
and of every member of that association.
I feel, gentlemen, that you have many
problems before you to be solved—some
important ones that require a good deal of
thought. But they surely will be solved,
and solved in the right way.
I have already said that I feel a little
unhappy in coming here to-night because
your worthy president had notified me that
I would be expected to say something; and
as I am not a public speaker, this fact has
made me somewhat nervous, especially in
anticipation of the brilliant men who are
to speak to you this evening. But, gentle-
men, there is another side of the matter
that is somewhat sad to me. I feel that I
shall shortly be deprived, perhaps, of the
pleasure of being with you, as there is a
prospect of your putting the products of
your business in the hands of "department
stores"; and as I have not sufficient funds
to start a department store I may possibly
"get left." However, we are not going to
take a pessimistic view of this subject; for
we feel there is going to be room enough
for us all; that we are going to be able to
carry on our business successfully just the
same.
Mr. President, there are many things I
should like to say to-night; but as there
are so many men to follow me, who can
talk so much better than I possibly could,
I shall now close by thanking you in behalf
of the Boston Music Trade Association for
the pleasure it has given us to be present
here to-night; and I sincerely wish you all
the greatest success. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT
MILLER:—Gentlemen:
It
would hardly seem right that we should let
this occasion pass without having some
little word from the West. It is true that
we have only one member to represent
that entire section; and that representative
comes, of course, from Chicago. But I
believe that you will be very glad to listen
to a short address from one whom we honor
as one of the ablest men engaged in our
business. I will ask your attention for a
few moments to Mr. Conway, of Chicago.
old as some others; but we are hustlers,
and to illustrate this you will excuse me if
I tell you a mouse story. One mouse took
quarters on a freight train from Philadel-
phia to Chicago; another left Chicago about
the same hour by another freight train,
bound for Philadelphia; and the two mice
met at Pittsburg where the trains were
sidetracked. The two mice went out on
the platform for an airing, and they there
discovered a couple of milk cans filled with
milk. They concluded this was a fine
chance for an evening meal. So the Chica-
go mouse jumped into one can and the
Philadelphia mouse in another. In a few
minutes the Philadelphia mouse was cry-
ing: "Help! Help! Help!" The Chicago
mouse did not say a word; but there was
a mighty big kicking. Things after a
while quieted down. The next morning
the cans were opened and it was disclosed
how the two mice had been getting along.
The Philadelphia mouse was dead in the
bottom of his can, with his legs sticking
up. But the Chicago mouse had kicked so
hard that he had turned the milk, and was
sitting very comfortably on a lump of
butter. (Great laughter.) Now I am the
Chicago mouse. But to be serious for a
moment. I certainly am not going to de-
tain you gentlemen for more than a mo-
ment or two longer, because I want to hear,
as you do, the distinguished speakers whom
we have with us to-night. And besides I
have another banquet to attend to-night;
and 1 am afraid my time is getting short.
This is my first visit to your National
Association; I can truly say that the loss
has been mine, not yours. You can very
well get along without my presence; but I
certainly feel from what I have witnessed
to-day and to-night that I cannot well
get along in the future without yours.
(Applause.) I talked yesterday with a gen-
tleman who was of a sufficiently commer-
cial spirit to criticise the return of the
bodies of our soldier boys who lost their
lives for the country in Cuba and Porto
Rico—the return of the bodies of those
patriots for burial over here at Arlington.
He thought this was mere sentiment —a
waste of money, a waste of time and a
waste of energy. I took issue with him
and told him that I believed the nation
that loses its sentiment will very shortly
thereafter lose its national worth and
national life. (Applause.) I believe in
sentiment. I believe that when we be-
E. S. CONWAY-W. W. Kimball Co.
friends, and the friends of the other candi-
dates respectively, old Martha Washington,
a nice old colored woman, was overheard
discussingj with her daughter, Dinah, the
political situation. Martha said to Dinah:
" Massa Joe is gwine to be 'lected agin
to the 'Nited States Senit."
"Well," said Dinah, " I dunno 'bout
dat."
" (), shure, Dinah, shure. He's de
smartest man living; and Kentucky mus'
have him back again in de Senit."
"Why, Martha," replied Dinah, "you
don't think dat Massa Joe is smarter dan
George Washington, do you ? "
"Yes, I does," says Martha.
"Well," says Dinah, "you don't think
he is a smarter man dan Abe Lincoln, do
you? "
"Yes, I does. Abe Lincoln was a great
man; he 'mancipated us; but Massa Joe is
a smarter man dan ole Abe Lincoln."
Dinah was somewhat nonplussed; but
after studying a moment she said:
" Martha, you don't think Massa Joe is a
smarter man than God ? "
"Well," replied Martha, " I ' d hardly
like to say dat, but den our Joe aint near
so old." (Laughter).
Now we in the West are not nearly so
NAHUn STETSON—Steinway & Sons.